1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical examination table. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a medical examination table having an adjustable backrest, at least one self-adjusting drawer, a retractable footstep and a retractable leg rest.
2. Description of the Background
Many conventional medical examination tables have a backrest portion that is movable from a horizontal position to an inclined position. Typically, the backrest portion is supported by the top surface of the medical examination table when the backrest portion is in the horizontal position. When the backrest portion is in the inclined position, a rod that is pivotally connected to the backrest portion supports the backrest portion. Generally, the rod extends between the back surface of the backrest portion and the top surface of the examination table and further extends through a hole defined by a flag member. The flag member is fixedly mounted on a shaft that transverses and is rotatably mounted on the top surface of the medical table. By angling the flag member, the edges of the flag member that define the hole frictionally engage the rod passing therethrough and hold the rod in the inclined position. To move the backrest portion from the inclined position to the horizontal position, a knob mounted on the exterior surface of the medical table is rotated thereby rotating the shaft until the flag member disengages the rod.
One disadvantage of this type of medical examination table is that someone walking past the table could accidentally contact the knob resulting in the flag member being disengaged from the rod and the backrest moving from the inclined position to the horizontal position while a patient is on the examination table.
Additionally, existing medical examination tables usually have multiple drawers therein which hold medical paraphernalia such as bandages, blood pressure cuffs, etc. Typically, the drawer sizes are not standard thus, each drawer must be custom manufactured to fit within a specific drawer opening in the medical examination table. Furthermore, the drawers must be manufactured with very small tolerance because if the drawer does not fit within the opening, the material and time to make the drawer will be wasted. The disadvantage to this type of medical examination table is that the custom manufactured drawers are expensive to manufacture and can only be used in a specific drawer opening.
Some conventional medical examination tables also have retractable footstools that patients step on in order to lift themselves onto the examination table. Once the patient is lying on the table, the footstool can be retracted into the table thereby increasing the amount of floor space in the examination room and eliminating an obstruction that prevents the doctor or nurse from easily accessing the patient. The disadvantage with existing retractable footstools is that they cannot lock into their extended position while still having sufficient strength to support large patients weighing up to four hundred pounds.
Conventional medical examination tables also typically provide a support for the patient's legs. The support can take many forms such as a retractable shelf having a pad thereon. Many of these supports are uncomfortable to the patients in that the supports is not contiguous with the seat portion of the examination table resulting in the patient's legs not being solidly supported. Also, prior leg extension support may not be angularly adjustable.
Accordingly, there is a need for a medical examination table that has a support apparatus for the backrest which has a lock mechanism that positively holds the backrest in place and minimizes the chance of the backrest inadvertently moving from the inclined position to the horizontal position, especially while a patient is on the table.
The need also exists for a medical examination table having self adjusting drawers that can be used in multiple-size drawer openings thereby eliminating the need to custom manufacture each drawer for a single drawer opening and also eliminating the need to custom manufacture the drawer and drawer opening of the medical examination table to very small tolerances.
Yet another need exists for a medical examination table having a retractable footstep that is strong yet lockable in an extended position.
Still another need exists for a medical examination table having a leg rest that continuously and comfortably supports the legs of a patient sitting or lying on the medical examination table.